Archives: Wigan & Leigh

Archives: Wigan & Leigh is the borough archive service, housed in the refurbished Grade II listed Leigh Town Hall. Its public areas include an exhibition space and a searchroom holding historic documents, a large photographic archive and local studies material. Families tend to visit for the exhibitions and the family events, which have included creative making sessions in school holidays, summer workshops with a historical twist covering game design, robotics and stop-motion animation, and tours of the building. Research visits to the searchroom need a booking, but the exhibition can be seen without one. The building has accessible toilets, a lift and disabled parking near the main entrance, and the team runs quieter openings for visitors who prefer fewer people. It suits older children with an interest in history and young visitors who enjoy hands-on making.